Awesome brunch on Sunday. Great music outside by Todd Hepburn (a downright music legend around Cincinnati on the keys... check him out all over town!) We were traveling downtown and stopped by on a whim for Sunday brunch. Outside is a blast and started with a craft beer that was an awesome recommendation from our server. Burgers and salad was very tasty. Overflowing with toppings and flavor, the presentation was awesome and set the stage for a delicious meal. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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After ages of driving past this restaurant I finally stopped in, and what a good thing! Tucked away on Eastern is a little slice of New Orleans. Upon arriving you'll see a charming patio - which is dog friendly! There was also a pianist playing and singing. We started off with the salad special, a spinach and beet salad topped with candied pecans. It was fresh and large enough to share between three. One of my companions ordered the Pasta Monica which he said "was what pasta is supposed to taste like" and he "hadn't had pasta like that since Italy". It did have some kick. I ordered the Jambalaya, which was delicious and a size-able portion. Our third ordered the Salmon and curried rice special which was a smaller portion than the other two meals but was just as delicious. We ended the meal by sharing the chocolate beer brownie, recommended by our new but very friendly and attentive waitress, which was very light and indulgent. It somehow had the airiness of a bread pudding but the decadence of a fidget brownie without being too heavy. Overall, I am pleased to have found a little taste of New Orleans in Cincinnati and was completely satisfied with every part of the meal. read more

I returned to this restaurant in its new location recently and wanted to update my original review. The menu is exactly the same but the flavors are not. I ordered my favorite items in this most recent trip, the mussels, poutine, shrimp po boy and street side burger. All of it was just okay without any of the complex flavors or heat you would expect from creole food. The drinks were as good as I remember and pretty strong. I can't say that I'll be back anytime soon but it's worth a visit for the kind servers and friendly owners. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Food was fantastic. We'll thought out and served quickly. Service was excellent and everyone on staff had a great attitude. Super friendly place. With good live music. We will definitely be back! read more

This place gets a star just for allowing dogs on their patio! It was one of the first warm weekends in Cincy this year and we wanted to enjoy our cheat meal with our pup on a patio but I also wanted to try somewhere new. So after setting all our requirements into the Yelp app, our list was narrowed down and we ended up choosing upon BrewRiver! Right across the street from the river, it is in kind of a random location but right down the street from Eli's (so I'm sure immediately you know where I am talking about). There is a parking lot across the street but there is also plenty of parking on the street too. We sat on the patio and was ready for some new food to try! We both splurged for their burgers and truffle fries because it was our cheat meal after all! This is where I feel like I didn't get a true taste of what BrewRiver does well. I definitely feel I need to come back and try a po' boy or one of their specialty Cajun dishes because the burger and fries were just eh. Nothing spectacular and my burger was really bland. We started with the smoked gouda pimento cheese appetizer, which wasn't what I was expected at all but it was really great. It was a smoke gouda, cheddar and red roasted peppers spread paired with slices of Sixteen Bricks sourdough crostinis. SOOO GOOD and carb-licious. As for our main entrees, My boyfriend went for their streetcar burger which, with the ingredients, kind of reminded me of a better version of a Frisch's Big Boy. A burger made with american cheese, shredded iceberg, red onion, house-made kimchi tartar sauce, house-made pickle, and placed on a delicious Sixteen Bricks bun. I went classic and got the BrewRiver burger which had aged White Cheddar, house-made pickle, tomato, lettuce and a Sixteen Bricks bun. I opted to not get the mushrooms on my burger. My burger was really bland and left much to desired, which was probably my fault for not going more adventurous. I mean I even had to ask for mayo to add to it. Another note both of us made is we which we would have just stuck with the classic fries. We both typically love truffle fries but these were off and the dipping sauce to pair (which I am assuming was truffle butter) was like just straight melted butter it a bowl. It was weird and I couldn't eat any of that dipping sauce they gave us. Like I said most of these stars go to the patio, the inclusion of dogs and also their staff. Everyone there was so friendly, kind and welcoming to us the entire time. I definitely could see I coming back here but remind me next time, try to grab a po' boy! Also PRO TIP: they have a 20% of check-in offer, which we definitely took advantage of so check in when you get there and save!!!! read more

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What a great hidden gem. I wanted to try them out for Mardi Gras but didn't make it. I had previously tried their cooking at Sonders Brewing in Mason. Looking for a place for Brunch I decided to stop in today due to my original plans being scrapped. The staff is great and very friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere is casual and a perfect environment. They had a live piano player playing in the bar which could be heard in the dining room adding a nice touch and giving you the N'Awlins vibe. They have a unique menu. I came hungry and was looking for a hearty brunch. Although their menu items seemed a little less filling they have "sides" allowing me to add to a current menu item. The good was delicious and perfectly cooked. If I had to add a negative critique it would be the amount of gravy on the biscuit. Most anyone eating biscuits and gravy want the biscuit smothered and this portion was lacking the smothered affect. Other than that, the eggs and goetta were a perfect combination. To top it off, the Bloody Mary was a great add to my brunch. I am looking forward to stopping back when it warms up. I think for next year the should look Into getting a heated tent for Mardi Gras and make it the Mardi Gras destination of Cincinnati!! Ayyeee!!! Definitely give em a try or give em a taste at Sonders Brewing in Mason. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Custom made breakfast. - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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We finally had a chance to visit here on Saturday evening and had a wonderful evening. There was a Mardis Gras theme this weekend so we were given beads upon entering for our reservation. There were beads and masks on the table and live music playing in the front bar area. Our waiter brought water and menus as soon as we were seated and gave us a brief history of the restaurant and chef. Chef Michael trained and worked for Emeril Lagassé in New Orleans. It's a scratch kitchen, so everything is made in house and each meal made to order. They make their own sauces and even butcher their own bacon. He provided us info on the specials and took our drink orders. My husband ordered a beer and I ordered the Storyville Manhattan. My drink was divine! We ordered two appetizers, a Fried Green Tomatoes and Oysters Rockefeller. Both were delicious! We each decided to order the featured special, which was the fish of the day. It was catfish in a beerbbq sauce. That's a bbq sauce made with beer. The side item was collard greens that had been marinated in beer. The dish was very good! The beerbbq sauce was so good I'd like to have a bottle of it for home. We decided to order a dessert to share. Again, we ordered a dessert that was a featured special. It was a dark chocolate smores brownie. It had a touch of espresso in the brownie, graham cracker crumbles and a toasted marshmallow topping. It was so decadent and we didn't leave a morsel on the plate. Our server, John B., was great! It was perfect service. We decided to continue the evening by sitting at the bar for another drink and to listen to the live music. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere and will return to try more of the menu. read more

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Curried Short Rib Poutine - Layers or both crunchy Fries and curry soaked Fries made for a great texture! The beef was completely shredded and soft. And the cheese was melted and chewy. This dish had great flavor and totally hit the spot! Creole Burger - I can't say I tasted any Creole seasoning or the flavor of bacon in the patty. However, it was probably the juiciest burger I've ever tasted. Make sure to upgrade to Truffle Fries for just $1. You could actually taste the Truffle and they weren't overly greasey! Also, they give you an aioli for dipping, but none of us were crazy for it. Thank goodness Mr. Y requested ketchup - theirs is house-made! It's a little chunky, a little sweet and very refreshing. Fried Chicken Sandwich - They give a chicken breast that's larger than the bun! It had a great Crunch and a slightly burnt flavor that was actually kinda nice. It comes with American, but luckily they were more than willing to let us swap Cheddar in. Also, the pickled veggies on top added the perfect bite to this dish! Other dishes ordered at out table were the fish and chips and the mussels. I didn't hear any complaints about either. It sounded like Ms. L particularly enjoyed the buttery broth the mussels came in. Service was fine...our waiter occasionally seemed annoyed or at least not excited to be helpful. But it was NYE, so I just felt guilty. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Curried Short Rib Poutine - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Neat place. Very knowledgable staff. Cocktails were good. The gumbo was delicious, however when I ordered a bowl of it I assumed it would be a bowl. That portion was small. Wife had a chicken sandwich. Presentation of everything was very nice. The only complaint would be the size of the bowl of gumbo/soups and their prices are on the high side for what it is. The menu options are very limited as well. I liked it better when it was a gastropub and they had great cheeseburgers back then as well as reasonable prices. read more

We have a team lunch meeting at BrewRiver today. The food was absolutely wonderful and our server SuSu was excellent! My new fav for creole food in the Cincy area! I will be back often! John Vicory Blass Vicory Group read more

I found BrewRiver on Yelp and was intrigued. I decided to give it a shot. Upon arrival, I was glad I picked here. What a cool looking joint and nicely decorated. I imagine outdoor dining on the patio when weather permits would be really fun. Obviously not an option for my visit in February. When I entered the place, I was really psyched. A funky 3 piece band playing music and having fun while doing so. Not too loud, and just the perfect touch all the way around. This was off to a 5 star rating for sure. I peeked at the menu on line prior to getting their so ordering was simple. The Bartender/Host/Server sat me at the bar which was nice. Close to the music and made dining along while traveling for work less awkward. I ordered fried green tomatoes for an appetizer and shrimp and grits. I was prepared to chill out, relax, and enjoy some live music and decent food. Well, as I was waiting for the food and getting in to the grove of the place the all too familiar problem happened. Dude brings me the fried green tomatoes at the exact same time as the shrimp and grits. Not 2 or 3 minutes later, but at the exact same time. WHY? So as I eat my appetizer faster than I would like, I watch my entre grown cold. The 5 star review was now down to a 4 star. As I was eating, two ladies came and sat at the bar next to me where the "Reserved Seating" sign was placed. These two were clearly buddies with the Bartender/Host/Server. As they were chatting and drinking, while I was eating, one of the two ladies decides to pull out her vape and starts puffing way as I am eating. How gross. 4 stars when down to 3. This place has so much potential. But major improvements on the basics needed. Appetizers are brought out PRIOR to the entre and smoking at the ball is not cool. Yucko. read more

We were so excited to try this place. Nice location, cool exterior, menu sounded delicious. But that's what you get for judging a book by it's cover. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. We waited an hour for our appetizer and it was cold. Then we waited another 30 minutes for our food which sadly was just "okay". The band was pretty good. Bored over the weekend and have nothing better to do? Then, I guess try this place out for the decent band. My recommendation, try sitting at the bar, it may have faster service and warm food. read more

My boyfriend and I have been a few times now. Twice with friends. Service is good especially if you're not in a hurry. You have time to chat, order more drinks, eat your appetizer in plenty of time before the meal comes. It's a nice atmosphere and when we were there a few nights ago they had a band outside. They even let me bring in our own dessert for a birthday. Very nice staff. Lots of seating inside. The food is delicious. I've never been disappointed with anything we've ordered there. Plenty of alcohol beverages to choose from. Plus when you get your check you also get these yummy cookies. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - the outside of the restaurant - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Thank you all for hosting us New Year's Eve. We loved everything! Great live music, delicious cocktails and amazing food. The frog legs were the best we have ever had. Great salad, great gumbo and amazing entrees! Finished off with pecan pie and bread pudding! A great way to kick off 2022! Happy new year! read more

Went there for brunch,the food was good but it took 2 hour to get our food. It wasn't even that crowded. Decor is very nice.

We had a fantastic meal and the ambiance was incredible! Shoutout to our server Summer, she was fabulous and a lot of fun, made our date night that much better! The muscles were our favorite, definitely coming back! read more

The crawfish Decatur was just so-so; I wouldn't order it again. The toast points were like bricks and the crawfish was skimpy. I also ordered a biscuit which was heavy and dense. The service, however, was terrific! read more

We went on a Sunday afternoon at about 2p. It was still brunch so we got the chicken and waffles and the brew burger. The chicken and waffles were sweet and hearty and the breaking was light, crispy, and well seasoned with moist chicken hiding underneath. The waffles were small but very well made with a subtle but lasting savory flavor. The burger was somewhat standard but very well prepared. The pickles were a surprising stand out as they had a sweet and unique flavor. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Brew burger and fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Disappointed with the shrimp and grits. It was swimming in a sauce of Worcestershire, Lacking on the New Orleans vibe. Grits had no flavor. Small Portion also. Staff was nice but slow service. read more

Started with the Creole Poutine which even the wife liked. The owner suggested Pasta Monica for the wife since she does not like spicy. The wife said it was to spicy for her after eating about half of it. The Creole Etouffee was excellent and I finished the wife's meal as well, (not spicy). Can't wait to go back and try the Jambalaya. read more

OH MY GOSH. This place is amazing! I am not very easily truly impressed with food. Yes, I LOVE food. But it's rare that an experience leaves me at that level where I felt like it was almost an emotional experience. BrewRiver did that for me. I had a good feeling about the restaurant from the moment we parked the car. The building has a really cool, lit up billboard over it, beckoning you to come in for a good meal. Inside is decorated very quaint, yet playful. With yellow walls and fun decor filling the various rooms of the renovated old building. The booths were cozy and clean. Our waiter was exceptionally friendly and helpful, yet not overbearing. He really won me over when he described the spice level of a dish as "a presence that hits lightly at the back of your mouth. Enough to let you know that it's there, but not enough to make you need to chug water." His descriptions of everything were accurate. The first thing listed on the menu is a pickle appetizer-- which I ordered immediately. They are literally a bunch of random veggies pickled with brine and just the right amount of Cajun heat. My husband and I decided to share a bowl of gumbo (delicious and comforting), beer battered fish & chips, and beer battered shrimp po' boy. The fish & chips were perfection. The batter was so good I could've eaten a bowl of crispy batter by itself. The fish was flaky and moist. My husband and I decided after the first bite that it was easily the best fried fish in Cincinnati. And, it reheated marvelously the next day! The po' boy was no different. Heavenly. The jumbo shrimp were battered in the same batter as the fish. They were so huge you were guaranteed a taste of shrimp with every sandwich bite. The fries were next level. Hand cut, soaked in vinegar, and I added truffle oil. To die for. Also important to note: BrewRiver makes their own condiments! Down to the ketchup-- which was a little sweet, but not sugary. The tartar (made with kimchi) and remolaude were good enough to eat with a spoon. The desserts looked and sounded incredible, but we were far too stuffed to indulge. We will absolutely be back! read more

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Came for the brunch and to pet the dogs, but stayed for the food and live music. Great New Orleans themed spot for a relaxing Sunday Funday. The southern style bbq shrimp and grits is definitely a favorite of mine but I decided to switch it up and go with the Eggs Du Drop featuring goetta mixed with scrambled eggs, cheese and peppers. read more

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Been here twice and absolutely love sitting on their patio. The first time we were just looking to drink a beer and relax and since it was a beautiful day we sat outside. The stone patio is enclosed on three sides and on the open side faces the sidewalk, road, and river. Their draft beer list has around twenty beers and is filled with local, regional, and national craft beers with possibly an import as well. BrewRiver is a great place to enjoy a good beer in a relaxed environment. The second time we came for food, specifically for a burger. The Natchez is an awesome smoked burger with crispy onions piled on it. The smoked flavor of the burger is fantastic and helps this burger stand out from the ordinary and combined with crisp onions and a perfectly toasted bun it is definitely going on my list of best burgers. The burger comes with fries but since I didn't read the menu closely I also ordered the truffle fries to share as an appetizer with our beers. The truffle fries were good and come with aioli to dip in and while I liked it I will note that it seemed much eggier (if that's a word) than other aiolis I have had before. The fries that come with the burger come with house made ketchup that I really liked but for you highly processed ketchup purists I will admit that it tasted like delicious tomato sauce (way better than highly processed ketchup). Overall, I highly recommend the Natchez burger and definitely recommend coming here and relaxing with a good beer out on the patio. They serve lunch and dinner with a 2 - 3 hour gap in between when they close during the week. On the Saturday and Sunday they stay open during that gap but only serve beer and fries and poutine and maybe a couple other snacks. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - The Natchez, a smoked burger with a smoking hot lady - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Best meal so far in Cincinnati! The chicken and biscuits were great, but the poutine and eggs were AMAZING! I've never had better french fries. Our server, Deven, says the trick is soaking them in vinegar before frying. Who knew? Loved our server, he was a wealth of information and recommendations on what to try...including the bacon donuts and the bloody Mary. The patio is dog friendly, and staff were welcoming to our canine, Sprocket. Excellent place to have brunch! Also, we really enjoyed the band playing inside. So happy we found this gem! read more

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Just came back from my second trip to this gem. What food! This time around my husband and I got the poutine and the chicken and waffles (brunch) and both were great! Although it wasn't open today, they also have a fantastic patio which we sat on last time. The chicken and waffles was straightforward and done perfectly. The chicken was super juicy with the perfect crispy outside. The waffles were also amazing-- you can taste the vanilla! May be the best he's ever had according to the husband. WARNING: consuming the poutine here will forever change what you think poutine ought to be. The Thai flavors were exceptional and added a great new dimension to the classic poutine. The fries were the perfect level of crispy to handle the gravy and curds. There was also a great ratio of all the ingredients-- every bite was perfect. May be the best in the city -- yeah Senate, maybe even better than yours! read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Curried Beef Short Rib Poutine - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I've had inconsistent experiences at BrewRiver...some good, but one experience so bad that I think I need to lower this rating from 4 to 3 stars. I still like it, but it's not my first choice anymore. The last time I was here, I had been hyping up the restaurant to my best friend who was visiting from out of town. So when I did take him there, we ordered quite a lot of food. We ordered crawfish hush puppies (a special that night) for an appetizer. They were dry and had barely any crawfish in them...Not a good start, and for the price definitely not a good value. For my entree, I got the fish and chips, and my two other friends ordered as well. We waited AT LEAST an hour before we finally asked where our food was. Our waiter went back to the kitchen to ask and 10 minutes later came back to our table to apologize profusely and say he must have forgot to put our order in and it would be another 30 minutes before we got our food. Now, I feel you, waiter...People make mistakes. But waiting AN HOUR before even asking where our food is? I think by then you should have realized something was up. And then it's not like our service was perfect the rest of the night either...We had trouble ordering beers while the tables next to us kept getting served, and my water ran dry. To be honest, I felt like we weren't treated the same as the other tables, and I have no idea why. By the time we got our food I was starving, but the food just wasn't as good as I remembered it (maybe the service left a bad taste in my mouth). They comped our appetizer and dessert, but it was still almost $80 for 3 people, and we had a terrible time. We spent a total of three hours at the restaurant that night, on a week night when the restaurant wasn't really that busy. And a manager never came up to us to apologize, FYI. I don't really know if I will come back, but because I had a good experience the first time I was there, I'm keeping this at 3 stars. read more

Brew River Gastropub is fresh and exciting. The chef and most of the owners are from Louisiana and they bring a different feel and flavor that most of Cincinnati hasn't experienced. To start off the building is very beautiful. It is an old Victorian style house that is converted into a restaurant. The patio is incredible! In fact, I don't think I have ever sat inside this place. It is a beautiful, large stone patio perfectly for en evening out with friends. Ok so let's talk about the beer. Oh the beer! I love beer. hah. No, but besides loving beer, this is a place for people who are beer connoisseurs. I thought The Party Source had ever kind of beer I would ever be interested. That is not the case. This place has a craft beer list that will rock your world. Mind you, the prices will definitely show it. However worth it just to try some, hey that's right they have sampler beers! You can pick and choose down to the ounce of how many beers, and what kind you would like to sample. This will keep the cost down, and let's admit everyone loves a good beer sampling adventure. The food here is made fresh daily. The server went on with a list of specials forever saying the chef was feeling "inspired" tonight. Which I love! We had a bowl of the gumbeaux, the pesto mushroom fried popper things, the truffle mac, and the poutine. We went another couple and kind of sampled everything. My favorite of the night was probably the poutine. It is green chili short rib, cheese curds, and big salty french fries! How could you not love it. All in all, this is a solid place, but you are going to pay for it. I think our bill was $50 and we split some appetizers, but I promise, the beer alone is worth it! read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I have not been disappointed by a single thing on their menu and I have brought several friends here that have claimed it was the best meal/dish they had in their life. I keep editing this review trying to make it more substantive, witty, or edgy (aka more useful, funny, or cool (: ) but really all I can say is go here. And when you do: The beer selection is wide and varying, and many of the servers can tell you all about the different options. The burger is delicious. The mac and cheese is great. The truffle fries are life changing. The soups are hearty. The BLT made me hate all other BLTs. The upstairs and downstairs environments are very different - downstairs has definitely more of a bar/pub feel and upstairs has more of a restaurant feel. Don't go expecting bar food prices. This is quality food - and comes at a somewhat higher cost. It's totally worth it. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - The truffle fries are FANTASTIC. - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My wife and I have been hearing great things about this place and I enjoy a a great drink selection so we decided to check it out. I ordered "The Natchez" - House-smoked hamburger, Ohio blue cheese, red onion straws, Sriracha Aioli, local bun, hand-cut fries I am a picky eater (Meat, Bread, Potatoes) so naturally I asked the waiter to exclude a couple of items from my dish. Rather than cave like most waiters, he gave me a rebuttal, "I am a picky eater too, but the chef really knows what he is doing. Try the burger his way, and if you don't like it, I'll take it back." I am in sales, and I like the fact that he tried to sell me so I agreed to try the burger as intended. I am writing this review to say thank you! The burger was absolutely delicious! I will be back here soon. read more

If Cincinnati Magazine would get off it's duff and do another Best Burgers edition - Brew River would be in the top 3. Top 3! We got the opportunity to try out Chef Michael Shields new venture on his official 8th day in. It was awesome. It makes me proud to have a place like this in Cincinnati. For starters we had the house made pickles. The menu said that "whatever fell in" was included - so we had pickled green beans, cauliflower, onions, and what Sue told me were turnips. They were all great. Oh - drinks. Sue had an organic Cabernet ... and I can't remember which one exactly. I had a local blond brew that was wonderful. We both had two of our chosen beverage. Our wonderful server then told us that Chef Michael had prepared a special salad - local heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, a 15 year old balsamic vinegar, and drizzled with a light oil. I devoured that thing. I mean seriously - Sue barely got a few bites and I got the rest. Very good. And since it's the weekend and Sue and I are always on the look out for a good burger - we had to have the pub burger. It was a good choice. It comes on a challah bun (which is soft happy sweetness), with tomato, lettuce, a slab of melted aged white cheddar, and portobello chips. I'm a burger snob ... and this is in my top 5 all time - top 3 in Cincinnati. Chef Michael is rotating his homemade catsup and tonight we had a sweet potato catsup. MMM mmm good. I mean, really. The hand-cut pub fries were perfect - a wonderful blend of soggy and crisp ... just like I like them. There were amazing desserts for purchase ... but we were literally satiated. I could not have eaten another thing. Not even a wafer thin mint. I applaud you, Chef Michael Shields. Well done. We will be back - many, many times. I cannot wait to try all the other goodness on your amazing menu. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - This menu is too cool. - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

If you're a beer lover and a fan of Cajun, this place is right up your alley. With over twenty beers on tap and a lengthy menu to please everyone's appetite, this gastropub is perfect for a causal meal with friends. I ordered the chicken and goat cheese sandwich, which was good, but I regret not trying the shrimp po' boy. (There's always next time...). Most dishes are served with a side of fries and their homemade ketchup that tastes almost like a marinara sauce. I also tried their truffle aioli and was a bit underwhelmed, so I'd say stick to the staples. Also be aware that the chef doesn't like to make changes to menu items. My brother asked if he could add mushrooms to his burger, but our waiter said the kitchen would probably not accommodate the request. Instead of dessert (which I found to be expensive- $9 for an ice cream sandwich???), I opted to end the meal with a milk stout. Our bartender was gracious and let me try a few different beers before making my selection, which I really appreciate. All in all, we had a great lunch! read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Burger - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I had the great opportunity to try Brew River before it is officially open on the 13th at the East End meet and greet. They had a selection of appetizers there for us try. Cajun shrimp, a chicken liver pâté, homemade potato chips, and fish and chips. All of the food was outstanding. I was partial to the fish and chips and the shrimp. The shrimp had quite complex favors going on, and was just spicy enough. The sauce was perfectly seasoned, and to die for. The chicken liver pâté was slightly under seasoned, and it needed some other garnish to add a bit more depth. They also had two of their beers available, I had a Belgian Wit. The beer was good. Light, a great summer beer. If this meal was a representation of what Brew River has to come, they will be very successful. I know I'll be there often. read more

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My husband and I were searching for a great lunch spot on our last day of summer vacation together. We chose the perfect place: Brew River. Not only did we get amazing food and delicious beer, but we also got a great food education from our waiter. Situated near the banks of the Ohio River (with a view of the river through some trees across the street), Brew River has one of the best patios around. Despite the fact that we arrived 30 minutes before they closed for the between-lunch-and-dinner break, we were greeted with smiles and warm greetings from the hostess and servers. After seating ourselves outside we took to perusing the menu. Everything looked absolutely delicious! Brew River has their own line of beer and also stocks many many craft brews from around the country on ever-rotating taps. I'm not a beer drinker, but I could sip on their Blond Ale all day long. Honestly one of the best light beers I've ever tasted, if not the best. We decided to share a few things from the menu: their truffle mac'n'cheese, poutine, and their signature burger. My favorite BY FAR was the mac'n'cheese! Honestly the best mac'n'cheese I've ever tasted. You can order it in a small or large portion, but the small portion was plenty for me! Although I will admit that I was left scraping the extra cheese out of the bowl once all the macaroni was gone! The service rivals the delicious food and great view as one of my favorite parts of this new restaurant. Our server, JP, was the most knowledgeable server I've ever had, hands down. He heard us discussing the fact that their house-made bacon wasn't crispy and chimed in that bacon only crisps due to the nitrates added for preservation. Since they make theirs in house, there are no nitrates and thus no crisp. I had no idea! When asked if he was a manager (we thought surely that was the only reason why he would be so knowledgable), he replied simply with "No, I just love food." I've spoken with another friend who has been here who had similar experience with a different server. Clearly Brew River's hiring manager was doing something right! read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Beef short rib pouting - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great location right across from the river. Being February no choice but to eat inside, but the patio situation looks like a perfect warm day place. Wasn't disappointed with the interior though; cool vintage bar and appropriate decor. Slightly hipster. Note: this place is small. Great beer selection. We enjoyed Sweetwater Hash Brown on tap which can be a tough one to find up in these northern parts. They list beer pairing suggestions on the menu. (Wine too) On to most important: food. In one word, fantastic! Everything but the bread made in house. Burgers were primo! I had the Creole Queen which is a bacon beef blend. Great ratio- the bacon wasn't overwhelming, just enough to keep the burger super juicy. My husband had The Nachez which is a smoked burger. Great flavor. I mentioned the only thing not made in house was the bakery items. Well let me tell you, not a bad thing because Sixteen Bricks makes one of the best hamburger buns I've ever had. The hand cut fries were only slightly above average, but sold on house made ketchup. Highly recommend this place and will come back again. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Burgers with hand cut fries & house made ketchup. Yum! - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Had the pleasure of grabbing lunch here and was surprised by the Cincinnati style chili. It had all the flavorings and unique characteristics that many are accustomed to: cinnamon and chocolate hints and overall good flavor. I can't wait to come back and at least try one of the adult desserts. Our server was attentive and the food eventually made its way to our table. So, definitely swing by this place and at least order the mac and cheese (tip: order the $10 full size and take most of it home, it's HUGE). And don't get me started on their beer list, wow! *If you've never had poutine or want to compare it to Senate's, this is one of the few places that offer this item. *Once the weather warms up their patio is going to be a great place to chill and enjoy a pleasant evening. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - This is pretty cool looking - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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My girlfriend and I went to BrewRiver for restaurant week. We arrived around 7pm on Friday and were seated right away. We sat upstairs and were pleasantly surprised by the amount of room in the restaurant. For dinner, I ordered the Canal Street Mussels, the Cubano sandwich and the dark chocolate brownie. Each course was paired with a 4oz beer. Food: The portion sizes here are pretty large. The Canal Street Mussels were the small order and it was almost more than I could eat. I'm not much of a mussels guy but I wanted to try something different. The sauce these were prepared in was delicious. The Cubano Sandwich was on the smaller size but was very good. The in-house smoked pork had great flavor. This also came with hand-cut fries and house-prepared ketchup which were tasty. Lastly, the brownie, which is made with Listermann's nutcase peanut butter porter had a nice balance of both chocolate and peanut butter. I was completely stuffed by the end of the meal. I wish I could recall which beers I had but I will say that they have a very nice beer selection. Service: Our server was very attentive. She knew her menu and beers very well and was able to answer any questions we had. The courses were also very well timed, arriving just after we finished the previous. Her beer selections were based on what we told her we liked/disliked at the beginning and I thought she catered to our tastes very well. All in all, this was a good meal with great service. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Canal Street Mussels - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This has become my go to when I visit Cincinnati. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming as well as informative about the foods they are serving. I definitely recommend the shrimp and grits . read more

I had this bookmarked for a while and finally got the opportunity to give it a shot. I ate out on the patio. Don't let the appearance keep you from eating here. I would love to see them spruce up a bit. Some things are out of their control like the house next store. It has missing windows and some of the siding is missing. On their own building though they could give it some TLC. I lucked out and they were serving brunch. I had the BLT with fried egg. WOW! They cure their own bacon, the bread was incredible, and they used an herb aoli instead of mayo. I bet the crowd around me was in shock watching me wolf this thing down. They have a huge selection of beers on tap and had some nice looking cocktails like biomass and bloodys. I would strongly recommend you give this place a try. read more

I have only been to BrewRiver once, and perhaps it is a bit unfair to review them on the basis of one visit and one dish, but it is pretty much the only thing I was interested in, so with that said, on with the review My interest: the poutine It sounded like it'd be fairly legit, based on the menu description, but while it was indeed tasty, it was - as with most of the many "poutine" dishes listed on menus all over town right now - not poutine Part 1: Fries. Good fries are the foundation of any legit poutine. This part was on point. Well seasoned skin-on fries, not too thin, not to thick, freshly fried. I'd have liked if they were a bit crisper, but thats a hard trick to pull when you're topping them with fairly wet ingredients. Success. Part 2: Gravy. A legit poutine is topped with a savory beef or chicken gravy. This one was topped with a thick, well, hmm, I guess I will call it a meat sauce, with the beef shredded so finely that I think this component could have been piped on with a pastry bag. The curry spicing of this component packed a little welcome heat and some nice flavor. But - not gravy. Fail. Part 3: Cheese Curds. A Legit poutine includes fresh cheese curds, soft, whole, unmelted. It looked like they maybe started with some cheese curds on top, but they put the dish into a broiler or salamander and the result was more like pizza topping, with browned spots, and no unmelted curds. Fail. Tasty? Yes. Poutine? No. A good value? 13 dollars was pretty steep for this plate, though it did fill me up. YMMV. read more

BrewRiver Creole Kitchen - Brewriver Gastropub East End - Gastropubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Randomly went to BrewRiver after having to go to Hyde Park. They have a nice selection of beer and drinks. All their food sounds really good and it was hard to choose what we wanted to eat. We got the pimento cheese dip for an app and loved it! For dinner I got the street car burger which was delicious and Nick got the Shrimp Po Boy. He loved it! Everything was great and we will definitely be going back! read more